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Topic: RIP John Wooden (Read 601 times)

What a life- small town Indiana country boy. As a player, won an Indiana state high school championship (big doins in Indiana) and the NCAA National Championship as a Purdue Boilermaker. He only had one losing season in a very long coaching career- his first season as a high school coach. Served in WWII. In 1946, he refused to let his team play in the NAIA championship tourney because blacks weren't allowed to participate. This from a guy that grew up around Martinsville Indiana- a known hotbed for KKK activities, with a racist reputation to this day.

Yeah he's famous for all those championships at UCLA, but he was so much more than that. Even after he retired, in 1975, he continued to mentor untold numbers until his passing last week. Thats 35 years of dedication AFTER he made his mark with all those championships.

I love to see the decent guys win. I'm humbled by John Wooden's accomplishments and proud to call him a fellow Boilermaker.

I read a very nice article on Coach Wooden. Very nicely written. Nothing but praise for the man. It is good to know that his legacy will live on in athletes and students he coached in sports and life. Definitely an inspiration to many.